ᐅ Water, Gas, and Electricity in a Single Trench

Hello,
I have a small house located in a very mountainous area.
From the road below, I want to run gas, electricity, and water lines across my private property.
The slope is about 50° with rocky, stony, and root-filled soil, and the trench would need to be dug for approximately 70 m (230 feet).
This means very difficult and complex excavation work.
How deep and wide does the trench need to be at a minimum? What should I consider?
Can I lay the water line at 70 cm (28 inches) deep and place everything else above it, with warning tape 20 cm (8 inches) below the surface?
Regards,
Frank

I would suggest directing your question to the utility company.

In our case, everything could have been placed in a single trench. Water lines frost-free at less than 80 cm (31 inches), gas and electricity at 60 cm (24 inches). 20 cm (8 inches) is probably not deep enough, since the warning tape won't help you there—you’d already hit the cable with the first shovel of soil.

With a slope of 50° like this, only a walking excavator would really help. In general, I would suggest asking the utility providers about their stance on horizontal directional drilling (HDD). This method would allow you to manage the incline without excavation, by installing suitably sized protective conduits in one or two boreholes, through which the actual utility lines can be routed.

This approach would also be significantly easier to maintain, since you wouldn’t have to repeatedly work on the slope itself, but only deal with the installed pipelines.

x0rzx0rz schrieb:

For a slope like this (50°), only a walking excavator would help.

The slope is forested. No excavator can get through, or rather, not much deforestation is allowed or intended. (Protected landscape area)

x0rzx0rz schrieb:

Generally, I would rather ask how the utility providers feel about a horizontal (trenchless) drilling.

Since it is private land, the utility providers are probably no longer responsible?!

frankmehlhop schrieb:

The slope is wooded. No excavator can get through, or it is not allowed to clear that much forest. (landscape conservation area)

It is private property, so the utility providers are probably no longer responsible, right?

If there is forest there, drilling is likely the best solution anyway. What type of trees are they (regarding root depth)?
The utility providers also have requirements for digging trenches on private land, unless you build a complete transfer chamber at the property boundary (where, for example, shut-off devices, water meters, etc. are installed).

But as soon as the utility provider connects up to your house, they usually have authority regarding safe installation.